Sponge cleaning device



-Sept.. 14, 1948. F. L. DALTON SPONGE CLEANING DEVICE Filed June 14,1946 Patented Sept. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES== PATENT OFFICE v 2,449,281 I4 e SPONGE CLEANING DEQVICE Frank L. Dalton, nom va. I Application June14, 1946,Serial No. 676,683 a I ,with provision for securing thereto acleaning member in the form of a sponge and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning deviceincluding a mop frame. using a sponge secured thereto as a cleaningmember, and having a novel type of construction for securely holding thesponge against dislodgment from the mop frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device whichis simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and effective inuse.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description of a preferred embodiment thereof asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which Figure 1 is anelevational view of my improved cleaning device,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line 2-2 of Figure1,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation in fragment, taken online 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the sponge gripping membersforming part of the device.

In the use of cleaning devices of the kind which have a main bodyportion or back which may be secured to a long handle and having amopping portion such as a sponge and the like carried by the main bodyportion, it ha been found that it is quite difficult to retain thesponge on the main body portion, and this is a constant source of botherand annoyance to those using the cleaning device. The present inventiondiscloses a construction which effectively secures the sponge portionagainst dislodgment from the main body portion or back.

Reference is now had to the drawings in which like reference charactersdenote similar parts throughout the several views. As shown there is amain body portion 2 formed of an outer back member 4 formed of sheetmaterial with its back edge turned down forming a depending rear flangeB which is beaded longitudinally at 8 to form an inner longitudinalgroove Ill. An inner back member I2 is formed of sheet material with itsfront edge turned down forming 8, depending front flange l4 which isheaded longitudinally at l6 to form an inner longitudinal groove l8. Asshown, the left and right side marginal edges 20 of the outer backmember 4 are bent over and turned back inwardly to form side flanges 22.

3 Claims. (oils-+246 It i be noted that 2 theinturned side flanges 22are .spacedlfrloin the marginal edge portions 20 asseen in Figure 3,therebyproviding a channel 24 along each edge gil for the slidablereception and support of the innerback member I2 along its side edges26, thus holding it securely to outer back member 4.

Sponge gripping inserts 28, shown in detail in Figure 4 and in sectioninFigure 2, are formed of sheet material with a longitudinal bead 30formed therein to fit into the grooves l0 and i8 respectively in theflangesB and I4. v

A sponge member 32 formed ofabsor-bent elastic cellular material or,.the'like; has parallel upwardly open slots or recesses 34 formedtherein for the reception of the insert members 28. The beads 8, l6, and30 have aligned holes formed therein for the reception of screws 36which thus extend through their respective flanges 6 or M, through themarginal portions 40 of the sponge left between its side surfaces 42 andthe slots 34, and thence into the aligned holes formed in the insertclamping members 28. Since the said marginal portions 40 of the spongeare tightly clamped between the clamping inserts 2B and.

their abutting flanges 6 or [4 as explained, with some of the spongebeing pressed into the grooves l0 and I8, of the flanges, it is obviousthat the sponge is securely held against dislodgment,

The sponge thus fits snugly up inside of the frame against the undersideof the inner back member 12 and has its marginal portions clamped asshown, thus making it impossible for th sponge to slip out Of the framewhen in use or out of use. Nor can it be pulled out of place whenproperly inserted and clamped, thus making a secure assembly. To removethe sponge, it is only necessary to take out the screws 36 and withdrawthe sponge. A handle base 44 is secured to the outer back member 2 bymeans of screws or rivets 46, and has a hollow socket or ferrule 48 forthe reception of the lower end of a handle 50.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention inspecific terms, it is to be understood that various changes may be madein size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from thespirit and scope of th invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A cleaning device comprising an outer back member formed of sheetmaterial and having a depending first flange along one back edgethereof, an inner back member formed of sheet material and having adepending second flange along one front edge thereof, each of saidflanges being provided with a groove extending longitudinally of itsinner surface, said outer back m mber having its opposite side edgesturned under to form guide channels for the reception of the side edgesof the inner back member, whereby the said outer and inner members areheld in engagement with their opposed flanges forming a spongeireceivingachannel formthe reception of. a sponge-like cleaning'ielementthereiniasaid cleaning element having upwardly open slots'therein,clamping inserts receivable in said slots and provided with headsreceivable in said grooves, and screw means for biasing saidinsertsrtowa'rdiadjathereof portions of said cleaning; e1ement-i-andholding the same securely in said sponge receiving channel.

2. A cleaning device comprising a back member-formedwithdepending'flanges along opposite: sides thereof-wsaidflange's'-'being-=provided ion their innersurfaces'iwith"-longitudinally extend- "iing "grooves; a sponge -like'cleanin element receivable ibetween r'said flanges ands-provided" ateach side with an upwardly-open slot, {clamping insertsadapted to be.disposed'oneiin'eackofsaid slots "and providediwith a beadreceivableinthe "groove ,of the" :adjacent 'fiangai' and means foridrawingbthe positioned. inserttdward the adja- "centflange"foriclaniping thefiintervening portions of .thecleaningelementtbetweemthe flangesiand inserts"andthesgroovesiandbeads'thereof.

: 3: Acleani ng.-device "comprising a backrmem- 5 able between saidflanges and provided at each side with an upwardly-open slot, clampinginserts adapted to be disposed one in each of said slots and providedwith a bead receivable in the groove ,of theY adjacent flangedsaiduflanges and inserts 10 I being provided with aligned openings, andscrews insertable in said openings and adapted to be advanced thereinfor clamping the intervening portion of the cleaning element between theflanges :iirandiinsertscand the grooves and beads thereof,

cent flanges thereby compressing between said FRANK L. DALTON.

flanges and inserts and the groovesand' beads" ..,REFERENCES CITED .hflhecfollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

